Hope
by SofiaBellatrixBlack
Summary: House and Cuddy had a daughter, that supposely died almost 10 years ago, and now she is back and alive. What happen to her and how will they copy with all of this? Huddy all the way, and daddy House.
1. Chapter 1

When love came first

House MD fanfiction

Gregory House & Lisa Cuddy

"Hope"

When Lisa Cuddy walks in the hospital that morning, she feels nothing but happiness, the sun was rising and shinning into the blue sky, and she could only think how luck she is, she have a good life, she has her dream job, she is a doctor, she save lides everday , she has a daughter, a beautiful and lovely daughter named Rachel, finally she was happy, and then, there's House… god! Only god knows how much she love that guy, and they were happy, it took them twenty years, but there together now, happily together now! He took her hand on his, and she kissed his cheek, sweetly.

She was planning a dinner for them and for Rachel tonight, a simple family dinner, their little family. Ten years ago, she meets him, they fall in love, and then… tragedy, after they broke up, was Hope, and Hope die. It still was too painful for her to think about it. About everything, only her and House knew about her, about Hope.

There was three files on her table, but this one seems interesting, a fourteen years old boy suffer from a suddenly irritability, and during a school exam, he got so angry and irritability that he fainted, beside that, he seems to get insomnias, and feeling depressed, what was weird about his case, it was that Jackson, in it two months, gain an incredible short-term memory.

She took the file and leaved her office, walking to his office. And from suddenly, a beautiful brown hair girl walks toward her, asking her.

"Good morning, I was looking for Doutor Gregory House and Doutor Lisa Cuddy, if you could help me…"

"I'm doctor Lisa Cuddy" She looks at the girl "Why do…"

"I'm Hope… You daughter" She told her "I was looking for you…"

And after this, Lisa Cuddy suddenly feels her heart pounding fast and then, everything turns black…

As soon as House heard that this girlfriend had fainted, he practical runs, as fast as he could, when he reach Cuddy's room, he's heart finally settle down, when he saw her heart was good, her breathing was good, all her vital signals were good, she was good, he was so absorbed in his own thoughs that he didn't even notice the young girl sitting in a chair close to the door.

"It was an accident... I'm sorry..." She told him and he notice her. The girl was indeed beautiful, she had a long and strait light brown hair, a big blue eyes, he was wearing a pair of jeans and a white a red striped tank top.

"I was just looking for her and when I told she was my... and then..."

"I then, whatever you told her made her faint, so be careful, whatever you might be, if she faints again it is all your fault! What the hell did you tell her anyway?"

The girl look offended, of course but she didn't want to show him just that.

"In case you even notice, I'm really not I the mood for jokes, I was looking for Dr. Cuddy and for Dr. House, if you excuse me, I need to find him."

"I'm Dr. House! And you must be..."

"Hope" She told him, and House felt a shiver through his spinal cord "I'm Hope, your daughter"

"You're what?" His big blue eyes were in shock, and then his brain start to looking for answers, how? How could she be his little girl, Hope had died nine years ago. "I'm know you don't believe me, but I really am your child!"

"You died! You were way to little to survive, six hours after you born, you died! Hope just died!"

"I didn't! At least as far as I know, I still pretty alive."She took a deep breath "I didn't died, I was... never mind, I'm not looking for you to take care of me, or even to give me something, just to get me know. I really want to know who my biological parents are, just that."

"When you were born, you had a distinguish birth mark on your stomatch, exactly like mine..."

She just smiles at him at lift her tank top, and there it was, the same one, that girl was really her daughter, Hope...

"House..." Cuddy weak voice called him and make the both of them looking into her direction "I had this weird dream..."

"Hope is here Cuddy." He told her "We need to talk"

An hour late they were sitting inside of Lisa Cuddy office, with her door pretty closed.

"I didn't know Hope, you must believe me! They told us that you were dead!" She told her, Cuddy had her eyes in tears, that beautiful eight years old girl was Hope House, her daughter. The little girl she though had died years ago, that hole in her heart, caused by her daughter death, had finally start to heal. "And how do you end up yere?"

"I was taking into several foster family, but none of them took me as their daughter, to busy, I guess..." She told them "Only two weeks ago, I found out you were my parents and I search your names and here I am." She told her. "I kind of stole my file but..."

"You have it?" House ask her "The file"

"Yeah! I carried with me all the time. Here it is" She open her bag and handle him a black file. He didn't speak a word, but then got close to Cuddy and show her a name.

Arlene Smith.

"It's my mom maide name" She said out loud, in shock.

"She was the one who took Hope and give her to adoption." House state. "She was..."

"How could she!" Cuddy said "She was my daughter! How could she mess up with my life like this! I'm her daughter, and Hope is her granddaughter! She was..."

"We will fix this problem later, Lisa" He told her "Now we have to..."

"I simply want to meet you two, just... I've always dreamed about you two, I don't hold remorse or even blamed you! I just want to meet you. Both of you, just that. Of course if you want to get to know me."

"Oh Hope, I'm so sorry sweetheart, I just..." Cuddy said "Where do you live? What you do?"

"My name is Hope, I think that was the name you gave me, right?"

"Yes it was" House told her "We named you Hope cause you were very sick and your name..."

"It's a beautiful name" She told him "I like it"

"I've been living in some foster family, but most of the time in the orphanage, with the nuns. The last family that I've been was not good..." She told them sadly "and before I return to the orphanage and really want to meet you two, just to know who and..."

"You don't need to worry about that sweety, you won't go back there"

"So you run away right?" House asked her "from the house, the foster family?"

"No" she state "Gram is where, getting treatment for the ladies that are always there, I think there hookers, but we aren't allowed there."

"You definitely aren't going back" Cuddy state matter of fact "you are going home with us"

"Monkey before I could kick, really hard, the ass of that Gram, I need to do something really important, could you give me one tiny hair of you please?" He ask her "So me and Cuddy could prove to the cops, nuns, social assistents and therefore, that you are ours please" she handle him the hair.

Couple of hours later.

"I think that's no doubt, she really is ours." House state as soon as enter Cuddy office.

"The social worker was here Cuddy, I've talk to them and we can take her home with us for now, by monday morning the lawyer will have all the papers ready... She need to do some medical check-up now" House state as soon as he enter her office, Hope was asleeping in Cuddy's sofa and she was crying her eyes out. "Hey, everything will be alright"

"How could she took her away for me House, how?" She said "she is beautiful isn't she, and we lost a lot of her life because my mother took her away, I'm so... I don't ever have a word for what I'm feeling right now"

Before he could reply, Hope slowly open her eyes and stare at her parent "what time is it? Gram is going to..."

"We will never need to worry about him come near to you ever again, I kick is ass pretty badly" House state "you're coming home with us, ok monkey?"

"Okay" she smiles at him, and for the first time in his life we felt a wave of love inside of him.

When they got home, Hope was amazed by her mother's house, was a huge and yet, lovely, house, painting in soft blue with a white fancy around it, outside was some playground, that mean that she probably had a little brother or sister…

Her thought were taken away by her mother voice "Welcome home Hope".

Inside a huge living room appeared though her eyes, some toys were on the floor, and pink doll house in the center of the living room, a girl.

"Hope, there a lot more we need to talk" House told her "But first we need to introduce you to a monkey…"

"Don't call Rachel a monkey House!"

She just smile at her parents discussion, "It's cute, you treat yourselves buy your last name"

"Hey monkey…" House smiled at the little girl when Marina appeared caring Rachel to the living room. Rachel smiled at House and he picks her up into his arms.

"Honey, you know House can't caring you around because his leg is sick…"

"It's fine Cuddy" He told her "Maybe you can go watching that pirate cartoon we love." He told her "And let mommy talk to Hope."

"Whuuuse Hop?" Rachel asked House

"Hope is mommy daughter" Cuddy told her "And House's too"

"Hi Rachel" Hope told her "You're very pretty"

"Big sis?" She ask Cuddy and she just smiled at her nodding her head.

"Yes Rachel, she's your big sister."

"I have a big sister like Maddie?"

"Hey, isn't that great?" House told her.

"House you're Hope's daddy?" She ask him

"Yap little monkey" He told her

"If she is my big sister, and mommy is my mommy, it mean you're my daddy too?"

"Well, not exactly, it's mean…" Cuddy told her but suddenly her eyes got tears "I want House to be my daddy!"

"Monkey, I can be your daddy" He told her "But this is a thing for life, you can't take it back never, pinky promise?"

"Pinky promise!" She kiss him happily "Can I call you daddy?"

"Yap monkey" He told her.

"I love you daddy"

Cuddy was now crying in happiness, that all she ever wanted, a family with House. They were her little family, she, Rachel, House and now Hope. Her little and perfect family.

"I will show your room sweetheart!" She told her "I will help you with you bag, where are the other ones?"

"I don't have more" She told her and Cuddy looked at her "Money is not much to buy that clothes, but it's okay." She smiled

"We need to shooping after all" she told her smiling "you will need more than a pijama and a change of clothes, for sure" she smiles at her eight years old daughter, Hope was indeed such a beautiful girl, with a long little sandy blonde-brunette hair and a piercing blue eyes, just like House's eyes, and she had the most lovely sweet smile ever "You don't have to do this, and mean, I want a family, but you have a daughter and..."

"I have two daughters, you're mine too and I love so much, there's a lot of things we need to talk about but I want you to know that no matter what I've always love you, ever since I know I was pregnant with you, and your 'death' was the worst thing that ever happen to me and to your father" she told her "I want to do this Hope, you're my daughter, and I want everybody to know that, you're such a beautiful girl, and I must say, you remind a lot your father, you got his blue eyes."

"Thank you mom" She told her and they hug each other. "They will never take you away for me again honey, I promise you"

"Pinky promise?" Hope just smiled

"Pinky promise honey" Cuddy told her sweeping her tears away.

It's been a week since Hope had been living with them, a week since Cuddy and House were getting to know her, and all Cuddy could say about her was that she was indeed the most wonderful girl she ever meet, Hope was a such a sweet girl, and a perfect misture of her and House, the girl had her smile and according to House, she was a mini Cuddy, but her eyes, she took that from him, she was a brilliant mind, sarcastic indeed but yet so brilliant. But today, Cuddy was fearing this day, she would confront her mother from what she did to Hope. They woke up early that morning, the first day of setember, in a week Hope and Rachel will be at school, and finding a spot in Rachel's school for Hope was a long shot. She had know it, but somehow House and her could actually find her a spot, with her perfect grades the school was more than happy to welcome her. "Cuddy?"

She was to much nervous to drive all the way to her mother's home, so she let House take the car. "Cuddy, everything will be fine"

"Yes mommy, if you want we can turn around and go home" Hope said, she was sitting in the backseat with a sleepy Rachel next to her.

"No way, we are going to talk to my dearest mother and letting her know that she won't see us ever again" she state very clearly "now, drive, as soon as I talk to her and soon as we came home". The trip was a peaceful one despite Cuddy's stressfull mood and two hours later they had finally arrive at her mother's home. Hope couldn't remember much of it, as she was sitting in her mother's car but the could recall her mother crying and shooting at the elder woman with her dad being really angry too. "Let's go home House" she told him as soon as the enter the car "and we will never be back here ever again" the two of them share a kiss, and he wipes some of her tears, a new chapter had just started...


	2. Chapter 2

"Marks"

Thank you so much so for your support, this chapter is a short one but I hope you enjoy it as well ❤️

As soon as September came, Hope know her life was about to change, new school,a private one, two parent who love her very deeply and care about her well being, she even have a baby sister, that was the life she had always dream off, and now it was a reality. But the memories were still present on her skin to deeply, she hasn't told them yet but Gram was no such morron, he was abusive towards her, not sexual abusive, but we would burn her stomach and back with cigarettes, beating her with a leather belt on her legs, and just for fun of hearing her screaming in pain, and the marks of that abusive month were still deep on her skin. The thing is that one of the burning spots on her back was hurting like hell, and she know that in order of getting rid of that pain she need to told them the true, and now was the perfect time, she mother was reading a book in the living-room while her dad was still working at the hospital, and Rachel was taking her nap, so it was the perfect time, she approached her mother quietly. "Mom".

Cuddy looked at her daughter immediately, Hope was wearing a disney nightgown with a pair of pink leggins, as a mother, Cussy immediately realize that something wasn't right, Hope had her head down and Cuddy barely heard her whispering.

"Sweetheart, did something happen?"

"I need to tell you something," she said keeping her head down "I swear I did not do anything, I use to behave really well, I'm not bad, I swear" her daughter began to cry and sob compulsively, and the only thing Cuddy did was embrace her daughter by bringing her into her arms in an attempt to calm her down. "Shiu, it's okay, Mommy's here, it's okay" Hope continued to cry for a few minutes, but at last, when the tears dried Cuddy looked deep into her daughter's blue eyes."What happened?" she said worriedly, "You can tell me everything honey"

"Dad will beat Gram again" "Why?" she said worriedly, "I did not tell you everything"

And before Cuddy said anything "Gram, it ... hurts a lot, behind my back"

Before she even reply anything Hope took her nightgown off, and Cuddy felt her tears on her eyes. All her daughter back was covered with similar mark of cigarette burning. "God, how"

"This is infected Hope we need to go the hospital sweety" she told her. "You need antibiotics now"

"Please don't send me away" she begged her "please mom, I'm good I promise"

"Sweety I'm not sending you away, never" she told her as a matter of fact "we love you so much, but if someone hurts you or scares you, you need to tell us about it. No one have the right to hurts you, okay?" Cuddy wiped Hope's tears away and smile at her "now, I will call your daddy, and ask him to came home, so I can talk to him, and them we will go to the hospital." She nod her head again "sweety, we need to talk to the police, Gram need to pay for what he did to you, ok? I know it's scary but I need to ask you some questions, and I need you to answer the truth only, ok" she nods her head again "what else did he do to you?"

"We used to beat us at night, with belt, or burning us with the cigarette, sometimes he would chain us to the door outside, it was so cold mom, my feets hurts so much, and then, we couldn't eat his food, or talk louder, we need to be really quietly, and that was it."

"Did he try to touch you, did he force you to kiss him, or touch him..."

"No mommy" she told her honestly "he didn't do that"

"Ok." Cuddy was to emotional to ask anymore questions. "Sweety, I need to talk to Dad now, ok? I need to tell him about this."

"Okay, but can we, please, not to tell anyone, I want to forget mommy"

"It's going to be all right, I promise." Cuddy kissed the top of her daughter's head, wrapping her in his arms. "It's gonna be okay"

Half an hour later, after having given her a children advil, Hope finally fell asleep, quietly, Cussy closed the door to her daughter's bedroom and tears flooded her eyes, the marks on her daughter's body were horrible, and what she had suffered at that monster's hands in the last six months even worse. She tried, in vain, to stop crying. sat down on the couch and picked up the cell phone that sat on the coffee table in the living room, typing House's number quickly, that would be the worst conversation in her life.

"House, I need you"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – Let's go home

When House arrived home he was truly worried about what Cuddy told him on the phone "I need you" and the tearful voice made him leave the hospital immediately, the house was silent, it was three in the afternoon which mean that was Rachel's nap time and Hope was a silent child, too much in his own opinion, so that explain why the silence. The living-room was empty as well as the kitchen, so he went into Rachel's room and realized that the girl still slept peacefully in her crib, he approached and pulled the blanket to cover her, she stirred and murmured "Daddy" he smiled and pushed away the hair on her face. "Shiu, Rachel, I'm here." The girl smiled, squeezed her pink bunny against her and fell asleep again. It was only when she walked into Hope's room that she saw Cuddy, his daughter was sleeping quietly in her bed, but Cuddy looked worried, looking at her daughter, the silent tears streaming down her face.

"Hey," he announced his presence so that he did not wake Hope. He saw the tears in her eyes and hugged her. Cuddy did not say a word, instead just buried her head in the curve of his neck and cried. It was a few minutes later, he just held her, not understanding what was happening.  
"We need to take Hope to the hospital," she said softly. "Gram, he beat her, and she has a cigarette burn on her back that it's infected, she needs antibiotics and something for the pain, I gave her an anti-inflammatory but won't help her for long "  
House felt a rage consuming him quickly, how that idiot had had the nerve to hit a little girl, Hope was the kind of child any father would like to have, she quiet, understanding and calm, could spend whole days that the girl did not gave a sign of her presence, she would spend her days reading books, or playing the piano, Hope could spend hours in her small world without disturbing anyone.  
"House" Cuddy said "He did horrible things, she couldn't eat, and he beat her with a belt, just for fun! I want to kill him! How could he beat a little girl? And no, fortunately he didn't sexually abuse her, but she is freaking out that we will send her there again, that it was almost impossible to convince her to fall asleep… She must some terrible pain "Cuddy cried again" I need you to look at the wounds on the back, one is clearly infected but there are some more that I liked you to see, she needs to go to the hospital, she may have broken bones and god knows what else ... "  
"Calm down," he said, trying to her to take a deep breath. "Hope needs you Cuddy. We have to be here for her, she need to know that she isn't alone anymore and she can trust us, and let her know that nothing bad happens to her again, OK?"  
"Okay," she said "I love you"  
"I love you too"

A few hours later, Hope left the pediatrician's office with some medicines and an lotion for the burners on her back. The pediatrician had told Cuddy that the marks on her body would pass quickly and without any kind of sequelae but that her daughter, because of her traumatic experience could nightmares, aggressive behavior, or antisocial behavior. However, he advised a psychological follow-up for better results.  
"Are we going home?" Hope asked "I'm sleepy"  
"I know dear, it's past your bedtime, we'll just find your father and we'll go home to the four of us." House had stayed with Rachel in her office while Cuddy had gone to the appointment with their daughter, it was in this moments that she realized how the two of them, even though they were completely alone in raising their daughters, were able to do everything.  
House was lying in her office chair with Rachel, who at that moment was wide awake listening intently to her father reading the Harry Potter book.  
"And now daddy, what's going to happen?"  
"Tomorrow, Rachel, look at the mana and the mother are ready, let's go home, okay?"  
"Hey" She said "Mommy"  
She kissed the top of her younger daughter's head "Let's go home"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The first rays of sunlight woke up the sleeping couple that were sleeping under the cover hugging each other in her king size bed, and even before he could properly wake up, her alarm clock rings and she gets up immediately from the bed, he just mutters some nonsensical words while grumbling " Come back, let's go in few hours later"

"Someone has to go to work on time," she said, smiling to him "And you have to take Hope and Rachel to school and go to the hospital with me, on time!" She said "No excuses House, you said you were going to help"

He mumbled something else as she headed to the bathroom, a few minutes later with the hot water running through her skin, she felt the shower stall door open "At least I'm entitled to a good morning." She smiles, and he wraps her in his arms as their lips meet for a hungrier kisses... a good day indeed, she thought.

An hour later the rush has settled, already late, Hope was dressing her school uniform while her mother dressed an identical one to Rachel who was still too sleepy to say anything, just protesting how asleep she was.

"Hope are you ready sweet?" Cuddy open the room of her daughter room and saw Hope tidying the books inside her pink backpack that she had chosen herself. If Hope had inherited her intelligence from her father, she had obviously inherited her ability (or defect as he used to say) to be extremely organized from her, and she hated something out of the place where it was supposed to be.  
"Yap, mom." She smiled as she closed the backpack. "Do you have your gym bag ready too?"

It had been a request from her, to go start some kind of sport, at age nine Hope had already done gymnastics for 3 years while she was at the orphanage and apparently she had tremendous talent for it, one of the clubs close to them had opened a group of artistic gymnastics and she had enrolled both Hope and Rachel three weeks ago, Rachel however, unlike her sister, was not enjoy it and went on to do (or try it) figure skating. However, between the girls school time, their work schedule, Hope's gymnastics, and Rachel's figure skating, all of her week was chaotic. She and House had to double up (and multiply themselves) so they could take their daughters everywhere they need to be. Rachel only had skating on Tuesdays and Hope had gymnastics every day of the week for two hours each day, fortunately this week there was going to be a bus from the club to take her from school to the gym, and by 6 pm they had to pick her up, fortunately and with two small daughters, they had to make some promises to themselves that what even if something happened at the hospital, even if she though that she should had more work done, at five pm they left together the hospital, from now on their daughters were their priority.

"I hate to be the alarm clock" House said when Cuddy and Hope entered the kitchen. "But we're already fifteen minutes late and Hope has not eaten yet," he said as he finished helping Rachel eat the apple and banana for breakfast. "Go one!" He told Hope as she handle her a bowl with colorful cereal for her to eat "Quick, it like the Olympics games of breakfast, three, two, one, go !"

The eldest daughter laughed but quickly ate all her cereals and in ten minutes they were leaving the house and getting into her car "You drive? I need to review some folders for the 10 am meeting please. "He nodded and grabbed the keys she was holding. She helped Rachel sit in her chair and checked Hope's seatbelt. "Come on," he said at last as she sat down next to him. 8:35, she was definitely late and had gotten up three hours ago and she hasn't even eaten.

It usually take them about fifteen minutes to reach the school, but with the morning traffic it took them at least forty minutes, so it was 9.25 when finally arrived the school. Cuddy took Rachel into her lap and led her into the preschool room while Hope wave them goodbye as the ran into the her classes, she could hear the doorbell as her daughter said "Bye mom, bye dad".

House wanted to stay inside the car, but Rachel had other plans and insisted her daddy was going to take her into the class room as well as her mommy, he eventually went with them. And House felt exposed too, he need a cane, and all the other parents looked at him, or at least, he thought that was happening. But he could not help noticing that her daughter was happy baby girl, so happy to have her mommy and daddy with her, while he held her little hand, he realized that what his baby daughter could care less about what other people might think about them, and he realize how luck he was for having her, for having them.

"Rachel, you're going to be fine today, aren´t you?" Cuddy's voice made him wake up from his thoughts, they were, now, at her classroom's door "Yes Mommy, Daddy's going to stay with me, you can go!"

"Honey, daddy will not be here with you, you're going to stay with the teacher and with your friends and Daddy is going with Mommy to work, okay?"

Those words had awakened their daughter's crying, of course, not even after three weeks had she stopped crying each time they drop her at the school. "Nooo!" She was on her father's lap for the last fifteen minutes, and Cuddy had already rescheduled the meeting at 11:00 AM "NO DADDY, I'LL GO WITH YOU"

And tears, and House was heartbroken from leaving his three-year-old baby girl there ... against her will, she was going to cry her eyes out and call for him. Rachel was crying that day, refusing to let go of her father's shirt while she begging him for not to leave her.

"Rachel dear, you really have to stay, I promise to come pick you as soon as I can, ok?" he tried to calm her down "Rachel is 10 o'clock, in 5 o'clock mommy and daddy are already here to fetch you, I promise" he said looking into his daughter's blue eyes, she had stopped crying "Promise?"

"I promise" He told her, while place her on the floor and wiped her the tears "Now give a kiss to mommy and daddy, and goes with Miss. Lily, ok?"

"'Kay" her voice was weak as she hugged her mother, then returned to her father's arms to cry again "Rachel, you promise"  
Reluctantly, she took the teacher's hand and went into the class. They waited ten minutes outside until they could watch their daughter play the game "feed the monkey" with some other girls.

"I can't believe it's 10:30 am.," she said. "I'm so late," she said and he nodded. "I never got up so early and I got to the hospital so late"

"Our life is chaotic House" She told him but opened a wild smile "And I've never been so happy"  
He kissed her lips, smiling and murmured "I've never been so happy"


	5. Chapter 5

House was exhausted, sold out, whacked, broken-down, hell yeah, he was dead-beat.

For the past week, Rachel's nights were nightmares to them, somehow the little girl complain nonstop about seeing something outsider, when, as matter of fact, there was nothing outside as not normal. As matter of fact, House went a bit suspicious at first, but after speeding a full night awake looking he found nothing.

"The patient's not response to the treatment. Look at his creatinine level! The kidneys are falling, he needs a transplant now. We need you to talk to Cuddy…" Forman told him as the three of them were waking inside de room. "Jesus House, what happen to you?"

"My three years daughter decide not to sleep, again, in her bed. Beside than that, I need Cuddy to get me a kidney because you three falling to do your work, again!" He was now drinking the third cup of coffee in the morning.

"The creatinine level is over the roof, he needs a kidney transplant, or he will die in 24 hours, the treatment you gave him made the kidney worst, everything is wrong with this guy!" House took the patient file from Forman and keep looking over it. "I'm talking to Cuddy, you three try not to kill the patient with incompetence!"

And with that we left the differential diagnose room into his own office.

(…)

She had known since she got up that morning that something was going to happen. Something bad.

"Dr. Cuddy, another girl has arrived ..." One of the nurses warned her.

"Eight years, the same symptoms, the fever does not come down, we've tried everything ... It's the fifth girl."

"File" Cuddy asked and before the nurse excuse herself "Nurse Amy, call me Dr. House, and tell him I want him in my office now"

She waved and left. Cuddy knew that some would be wrong, but he never thought there would be an epidemic outbreak.

…

"Cuddy, an epidemic outbreak, it's the flu season, cold, rain, viruses and bacteria running crazy, that's what these kids have, the flu!"

"And you do not think I ever saw if it was a flu, I did not try to medicate before coming to you!" It's not a flu, a pneumonia, or any bacteria or virus! " She said irritably. "I'm sorry..."

"Let me see" He said looking at the file she had "Are they lethargic? And they are eight years old?"

"Eight, nine, and ten, varies." She said, "Three girls, two boys for now."

"Cuddy ..." He said looking at the other three files, but they were again interrupted by her assistant "Dr. Cuddy, Dr. House ..."

"Yes?" Cuddy said without looking at the young girl "I got a call from Hope's school, and…"

"What happened to Hope ?!" She said immediately on alert. "With Hope nothing." They both took a deep breath. "It your daughter's teacher, she's sick, and they are sending the kids home…"

"Nice, nothing worst could happen! I have a possible epidemic outbreak and need to take care of my eight years old daughter"

"Calm down, I'll take care of our daughter, and you take care of your gigantic baby, and I mean the hospital not the…"

"I need you working on this case and…"

"I don't leave alone, and see on the bright side, I can do clinic and have fun with her, some pretty fun cases, while my other kids take care of the analysis."

"House…"

"She's mine too, I can take care of her! Don't worry, ok?"

"Ok" She gave him a peck on her lips. "love you"

"god woman,

(…)

"Now, the evil witch of South makes us do the worst thing ever" House told his daughter "Talking to people? having dinner with her friend?"

"Worst, treating sick people! Running noses, pregnancy, boring clinic stuff, but now I got you to helping me get rid of it" He told her and Hope laugh at him, while both of them were heading to the clinic. "First, we go see your mother, a put your dipple smile on, we going to need it!"

"Mom" Hope called her as soon as she was entering her office. "Hi honey, how was school?"

Hope just kissed her cheek, answering a simple " was ok".

"No practice today?" She asked her.

"No, the coach is out of town with the seniors, they have the classics next weekend, so we have a few days off" She explained her mother.

"We are going to grab something to eat now, want join us Cuddles?"

"Why not? After all, Sanders are getting the epidemic case, and I haven't eating a thing in hours." She told them "You're buying!" House told her. "keeping dream, I'm not even take my purse with me, this is on you!"

"Fine" He told her, and both of them smile while the three of them were heading to the cafeteria.

Again, on that day, House could expect everything except for this.

"Greg, honey." He knows by heart that voice. His parents, standing a few meters from them. _Fuck_ , we though.


	6. Chapter 6

"Mom" He was in shock, truly in shock "Hum, what… how…"

"And I though you could never be speechless" his father told him. "Our plain is delay because of the weather darling, and we thought we could visit you, you barely call us, we were concerned."

"I intended to call mom, really" he explained to them while hugging his mother. "We need to talk and…"

"Oh, hello Dr. Cuddy" Blythe House was practically still the same as years before, when she meet her during House's infraction. "Good evening Mrs. House, Mr. House" she great them as polite as anyone could be. "And this little girl…"

"Hope" House told them and before saying anything else he and Cuddy exchanged glances "This is Hope, our daughter".

"Gregory, please, could you repeat again" She mother replied, visibly shocked but continuing to remain calm and composed as usual on the outside.

"Mom, please let talk in our office, I've a reasonable explanation for all of this." She told her trying to calm her down. "Please, can we talk at my office, we can have privacy and we can explain all of this."

"Mommy" Hope called Cuddy.

"Monkey, how about this, you get to watch the Simpson on my office, and when I get back, you tell me all about, ok?"

"Yap" She smiled and her father kissed her forehead "Go on"

(…)

They were inside her office, House, her and his parents. "Gregory, could you now, explain yourself"

"Mom" He starts but he's immediately interrupted "When did you intended to let us know you are a father Gregory?" Her mother told him "Could find any time during the last, maybe 10 years, to tell us? I'm so… I don't even have word to tell you about how disappointed I am with you, I never thought you would do this to me and…"

"Mrs. House, I can explain everything. And I can ensure you that you only find out about Hope two month ago."

"She's Hope?" Her father asked them, they knew about the early dead of their granddaughter that took place years ago. "How…?"

"It's a long story, but everything is being held by our lawyers and the most important is that she's ok, and with us" House explain "I'm really sorry mom, but between this with Hope, the hospital and us, I barely even have time to sleep, I was really forward to talk to you about everything"

"Oh Greg, I shouldn't have jump to conclusions" Her mother was giving him a sweet smile of hers that always had making him feel guilty about every screw up thing. "She is truly beautiful" She told them, and both smiled. "Greg, you've mentioned a Rachel…"

"I really need to start call more often" She told himself. "Let all seat, this is going to be a long talk" Cuddy spoke softly "I'm calling the nanny and tell her to stay till nine" She told House. "Better 10, trust me".

(…)

"So, you have two daughters, and we didn't know" His mother repeat after a full hour of conversation. "We have two granddaughters that we didn't know about because you forget to tell us… Gregory, you are really smart, more than you should be, and your telling with that brain of your, you forget to tell us about all of this?!"

"I'm sorry" He told them "It's just, everything is still new and fresh, and there's some legal issues and everything… I want to make sure everything was fine before telling everyone"

"Gregory, we are not everyone, we are your parents" She told him but smiling "I know everything is new to you, two. But we would love to meet them, our granddaughters, if it possible?"

"Of course, Mrs. House, we would love if you could meet them" Cuddy immediately told them "wonderful" She told her them happily "Tomorrow night?" his father asks, and House simply nodded. "Greg, Lisa, we must get going, but we are so delight to meet you at dinner tomorrow"

"Sure mom" they hug one last time.

As soon as they say goodbye to each other, House and Cuddy collapse on the couch of her office. "We have to get a excuse to skip dinner" House told her.

"NO WAY! We are going to this dinner, you're behaving and they will meet Hope and Rachel, because, for better or the worst, they are their grandparents, and I want them to have grandparent, and as you know, my mother is out of question!"

"But…"

"No but!" She told him "Please House, it's only a few hours, ok?"

"If you say so" this idea was not a good one, he knows, not because of his mother, but because of him, disapproving everything he does, his way of living, everything. And know, that himself was a father, we know how much he didn't want anything of that negative near his children.

"House" Cuddy calling him again "What were you thinking"

"The epidemic case" He told her while limping out of her office "Tell Sanders to look for yellow fever, you're welcome, doing my job and his, in just one day of job, how marvelous!"

Cuddy rolled her eyes, smiling too. She felt like a silly teenager dating the smartest boy, how cute was that. _Cuddy focus!_

(…)

"Where's my monkey?" Hope heard his father voice down the hall. "Doing her homework" Cameron told him as soon as he enters the room "She's lovely and so sweet" She was in fact helping her doing her homework.

"Ready for food already?" House asked his daughter when steeping inside his office. "Just a few minutes dad, I want to finish this first."

"Her mother for sure" He told Cameron "She's lovely House, congratulation" She told him smiling and he smiled back, Hope was truly a sweet girl.

"I'm ready" She told him "Is mom coming to"

"She's waiting for us" He told her "How the conversation go?"

"Terrible" He told her "Not so bad, you are going to meet them tomorrow monkey, don't worry, is just an hour, and probably just once a year" He kissed her forehead and smile. "Come on, let go, I'm starving, and you should be too".


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Mom is everything ok?" Hope asked her when they got home "Yes sweetie, everything is alright"

"Dad told me we are having dinner with his parents, are you ok with it?"

"Yes, of course honey, I want that you and Rachel have a relationship with them, they are your grandparents, it's important for you and for Rachel to grow up close to them, at least as close as you can be, giving the fact that they live in the other half of the country…"

"I get mom, but I ask you if you were ok with the dinner" She repeat, and Cuddy couldn't help but feel prouder of her daughter sensitivity. "I'm truly am honey, despite your father problems with them, I think that a child can make everything better, and perhaps you and Rachel could improve your father relationship with his father."

The dinner went smooth and chill, like every day. Both kids and them were eating Chinese take away because it was Friday and hell with the health crap that Cuddy made them eat every day, at least one's a week he gets to eat really good and unhealthy food.

"Mom, Dad, next week it's the first meeting of the season and the couch select me to join the team for the regional competitions, it's Sunday, here in Princeton. It's the first of the season… I wonder if I could go?"

"Of course, sweetheart! We're so proud of you!" Cuddy was genuinely surprise and proud of Hope "Oh it's nothing" She told her smiling shying "We can go watch you honey, I think it will be a nice thing to do, don't you?"

"Well done monkey" He smiled at her.

"Winter is getting worst, and you don't have many winter clothes Hope, and Rachel's one are getting small. We need to go shopping" Cuddy told them. "We could go tomorrow, after school, beside that, you need some more gym clothes Hope."

"Beside that" House told them "Someone will turn nine in three days".

"Yap" Hope told them un "You don't like your birthday?"

"Hum… it's not about liking it, I've never celebrate it… more like that… but it's ok" Hope told them "I don't think the nuns really have money or time to celebrate each kids birthday, and the only one I spend outside the orphanage was with Gram, I don't really think he know it was my birthday." She explained to them.

"You know, was can or not celebrate your birthday Hope, it's up to you" Her father told her "You could invite some friends or just celebrate with us, or don't celebrate at all, you're call"

"A guess we could do something, just the four of us, please" She told them, and Cuddy smiled at her. "Something small, nothing to big…"

"Hope" Rachel call her "Hope's birthday right"

"Yes honey, Hope is turning nine" Cuddy explain to her "You will turn four in two months"

"Happy birthday!" Rachel told them happily "In three days monkey, you got to say as much as you want"

"Later sweetie, later" Cuddy told them.

(At night, two days later)

"I've received Hope middle term grades yesterday" Cuddy told him while getting ready for bed. "And?"

"Quite brilliant" She told him "In fact, more than brilliant, close to perfection. The teacher asked me if she was, and I'm quoting her, to smart"

"Well, genes matter, I told you, she is a gifted child. IQ 178 points, more precisely."

"She took the test?" He only nodded lifting his eyes from the book he was reading.

"House, this is important!" She took the book away from him "Our daughter is a gifted child, we should take her to a therapist…"

"Cuddy! She's just smarter that most of the kids of her age, other than that she's a perfect eight years old girl, she's calm, sweet, and very responsible. There's no need to take her to a therapist about this. She knows how smart she is, I'm know, and you know too. We are doctors, we know how to deal with it, just leave this, she's normal"

"I'm not saying that she's not normal, I'm just…."

"Taking this from someone that was actual a gifted child, don't make a big deal of this, she's much more than a clever mind, she's our child, like Rachel, and…"

"You've never referred Rachel as your own…" She start but before House could stop her from talking she start. "If something happens to one of us, and you know, we are alone raising them, I don't want you to end up in court to get Rachel, I want to do something before anything of that kind happen. You are, for me and for her, you are her _daddy_ , and I want to make sure you are…"

"I want to adopt her" He told her, fearless and completely sure of what he was saying "I want Rachel to have my name, and I want to make sure she knows I just love her and care about her, as much as I do for Hope. She's mine, I just want to make sure, that I can say that legally"

"I'll call the lawyer first thing on morning" She told him letting go a tear.

"Come 'on woman don't cry, you know I can't deal with that…"

"I love you, your morron, so much! This is all I ever wanted, you're making my dream come true!" She hugged him, while still crying.

"I love you too".


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

(Hope's birthday)

(Sorry about the major mistake in chapter 6, the dinner with House's parents, will take place Sunday, and not 'tomorrow' I've change it but didn't save it. A promise that next chapter will be about it, for now, it's Hope's birthday)

Thanks for you lovely reviews 3

It was their daughter first birthday with them, Hope's first birthday with her family, something she was used to celebrate, so Cuddy and House decide it was for the best if they just skip work that day _Cuddy, the hospital will run smooth because I'm not there, there's nothing to be worried_ House told her days ago, and somehow, he was right, nothing could go wrong. Rachel and Hope were staying home too, that day.

"Daddy, good morning" House was a doctor; therefore he was a lighter sleep, surprising much lighter than Cuddy. "Rachel is to early, what happen"

"Not sleepy" She told him smiling "How about you let mommy and daddy sleep, and you get to sleep here with us, just for a little longer?"

Any sudden moves brought pain to House, special in the first minutes of each day. We got used to it, to the pain, so much that was a stranger feeling when he pick Rachel up and didn't feel a thing, just nothing, no pain, no whatsoever. Careful he lay her down between him and Cuddy and try to stand on his feet.

"Amazing…." He told himself "How…"

"Cuddy, wake up!" He call her, while Rachel was completely awake. "Hum… House?"

She moved on the bed not opening her eyes, they stay up late first talking than… "Cuddy, urgent, wake up!" He told her and send her into alarm. "Look"

"Hum…" She was still half asleep, not realizing the huge emergency. "Cuddy, I'll make this clear for you, I don't feel pain, I'm up, walking and not in pain. I can feel a thing!"

"Uauu" that was all she could tell him "Uau"

(…)

"It's my daughter birthday, it six am, and I've done five MRI, let me see it" House was start to feel impatient. When Rachel woke him at 4 a.m the last thing he expected was to end up in the hospital doing five MRI's of his leg. "The MRI Chase! Now! Or I will fire your ass in less than 2 seconds."

He glanced quickly at the MRI and turned to the young doctor. "Rephrase this, it's wrong"

"No House, it's not, it's the fifth and they're all the same." He said smiling. "The nerves regenerated, alone, and I've never seen it, it's as if the nerves have mended themselves, reconnected and are working well ... I do not know what to explain ... "

"Page me Foreman" House looked at the results in disbelief "No, do not say anything to the others! Nothing Chase, and I'll redo the exams, tomorrow!"

"But…"

"No but, and I'm taking this with me!" He took the five MRI and decide, against all odds, head back home, if he was really pain free, he was going to enjoy it with his family.

(…)

"House" Cuddy told him as soon as he told her what the MRIs showed. "As it is, they have regenerated, that's impossible... If the nerves regenerate, you would been in pain, the pain would get worst and not disappear! This makes no sense "

"I know, I get, you're worried" He told her "I feel the leg, it's like everything is back to normal, you know before the infraction" He told her while grabbing her waist and pull into a hug "It's Hope's birthday today, can we enjoy it while it last? Even if it just for a day?" He kissed her gently, as if wanting to assure her that everything was fine.

"Tomorrow morning, we can worry as much as you want about the pain, the leg and everything, but today is Hope's birthday, our day off in like, two months and I can really do anything I like with feeling like a fucking cripple, so please, and I'm saying this nicely, can we please not to think about this?"

"This…." She told him "Don't even sound like you, but it's not like I can drag you to the hospital, cuffed you into a bed and force you to stay there… but anything, please let me know ok!"

"Pinky promise!" He let out a laugh and she shook her head in disbelief. "It's like, eight already?"

"More like nine" She told him smiling "I choose to let them sleep a little late today, Rachel is still in our bed and Hope isn't up yet".

(…)

"Happy birthday sweetheart" The mother told her softly smiling. As soon as Hope was settled into bed, sitting down, Rachel immediately went from her father's arms to her sister's bed. "Happy birthday, happy birthday" She said hugging her sister and giving her two sloopy kisses on her face. "Thank you baby".

"Thank you" She told her parents smiling "Aren't we a little late for school and…"

"Nope!" House was smiling at her "We are having a day off, and you too don't go to school today"

"Dad, you're walking!" Hope said as soon as she noticed the lack of limp and the cane. "How? I thought?"

"I don't know yet, but I've been feeling less and less pain, and today I woke up and there's no pain at all" He explain to her. "Tomorrow I get to know more, but for now, we have a full day ahead of us."

"That's right!" Cuddy said scattering the conversation "Today is all yours honey, so you can choose what to do after eating breakfast"

"Pancakes! Chocolate, extra chocolate !" Rachel said too excited looking at her father. "I can make pancakes, but without extra ..." The mother told her. But Rachel even at such young age knew exactly that Daddy cooked much better than Mommy, specially pancakes!

"No! Daddy and I do!" She held out her arms to him who placed her in his lap. "I could be hurt by it," she told House, but then she laughed. "But it's true, he cooks better than I do." She laughed a little more. "Come on then, monkey," House said, leaving Rachel on her lap. "We are getting pancakes done"

"With chocolate" She told him laughing.

"With chocolate" He confirmed.

Cuddy looked at the older daughter. She had inherited her eyes, a mixture of blue and gray. "I know, I got your eyes"

"I always thought you had the eyes of your father, before…"

"Daddy's eyes are beautiful, but I like yours more" She said smiling "back in the convent, the Mother superior use to tell me that my eyes were like the blessing after the storm, a blue sky dyed gray, it was like seeing the hope behind the grey, I've always love my eyes, and know, I love them even more, because it a part of you in me, forever."

Cuddy was prepared for everything, she knew beforehand that day was going to be a very special and emotional one, but that simple statement, full of innocence and love, left her again, with tears in her eyes. "Oh Hope, I love you so much my love, and I'm so sorry for all that you been through"

And for Hope, who had been away them for so long, she could tell with certainty that her mother's embrace was the best in the world.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Their morning was also quite fun and even relaxing, their small family, was at that moment, having lunch in a restaurant near the center of the city. Hope was, indeed, an extremely well-behaved child, much more than any eight-year-old girl they ever meet, but Cuddy knew, that day after day, Hope had become more and more an extroverted and happier kid. Slowly, she was a getting to be child again, without fears and worries. She now was able to play, study, and have fun with her friends without fear anything or anyone. It was her and House priority that Hope could live happily, and that she would slowly forget the horrible months she had spent at Gram's house.

"So next, there's any place you would like to go sweetie?" Cuddy asked her while they were eating "I guess… I've heard about the body world exhibition can we go?"

"I like it!" House them almost immediately "It's the largest human body exhibition with real human bodies, in the world!"

(…)

"House, I don't think Rachel is age appropriate for seeing the body world exhibition?"

"Monkey, come here" House called Rachel "Yes daddy"

"We are about to see some group-up stuff, human bodies, do want to see it?"

"Yes!" She told him super excited "If you feel sad baby, we can leave ok?" Her mother reinsured her "Okay mommy". She extended her arms to House, so we could pick her up. "You are getting her used to this, she can and should walk on her own"

"I don't know how many days I have to be pain free, let her and me enjoy while it last, ok? And don't worry" He told her "Better hold Hope hand, there's to many people in here she could get lost"

House was right, the exhibition was full of people. It was so full that in less than ten minutes House and Cuddy had lost each other. "Mom where's Dad and Rachel?"

"I do not know, sweetie." She looked at the phone to call him but saw a text. "Dad said to let's see she's with Rachel, we'll meet in the middle of an hour, okay?"

"Ok mom." She told him, smiling. The two approached one of the guides who spoke to more than two hundred people, which meant that neither could hear anything of what he said.

"Mom, I cannot hear or see anything" Hope noted the obvious "We'll have to wait for the next round honey..."

"But you're a doctor," Hope told her looking at her. "You could explain everything to me, right?"

"Yes, I can" Cuddy said looking around, she was a doctor and it was only her and her daughter, she could perfectly forget the guide tour and do their own guided tour. "Let's start here, this is the human skeleton, there are 206 bones in the human body, however, when we are born we have 90-95 more bones than an adult"

"Why?" Hope listened intently, and for a moment Cuddy was lost in her own thoughts.

She had not practice medicine in over ten years, which meant that for more than ten years she had not had regular contact with patients. She had always been intelligent one, the best student, the most dedicated, but since she was the Dean of the hospital, sometimes she felt less smart almost dumb, and living with House just made her feel, even more, slow and dumb "Mom? Why do babies have more bones than we?"

"Cartilage" She answers her "When we are born we need to extremely soft and limber so we can be born in the first place… Babies are born with more cartilage than bone but it gradually turns into bone over time, the process is called endochondral ossification, as the baby grows cartilage is replaced by bone, so many bony segments fuse together to form a single bone."

"What is cartilage?"

"Cartilage is a rubber-like padding that cover and shield the ends of long bones at the joint… It's like a smooth, elastic tissue that we still have as adults, like in here." Cuddy told her touching her ears "It also present in our rib cage, nose and some other parts of our body. Cartilage is not as strong as bones but no as flexible as muscle." She point to some of the joins of the baby skeleton "And the baby skull" She told her and point to one of the baby skull display "all the newborns have the head not fully closed, there's one or two soft spots, the fontanelles, with don't have bone tissue at all because the baby's brain will grow rapidly throughout the next two years.

"Uauu" Hope told her fascinated. "So, after two years the baby's bones don't grow anymore?"

"No, until we're at least 25 years old, we can continue to grow in height, usually between 16 and 25, we stop growing. But there are parts of our body where ossification continues until age 30, as it is the case of the shoulder blade. "

Hope was still looking at the bones, delighted. And somehow Cuddy felt, for the first time since Hope was back, that her daughter was a safe and happy child. "Mom, look, it's a heart! Let's go!" Hope hold her hand, and they walked to a body on display where she could clearly see the whole circulatory system. "Mom, how the heart's anatomy?"

Cuddy smiled and looked at her daughter, beginning again an explanation. He made a mental note, sent a text to House and asked him to wait for them, that trip to the museum would take over an hour for sure.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Later at dinner…

"Do you enjoy your day monkey?" House asked Hope that she still eating her soup "So much dad! It was the best day ever!" She said smiling, "Mom is so smart! When I grow up I want to be as smart as she!"

"I know that look Cuddy! It's called self-conceit!" He told her mocking her. "It's not my fault if she thinks I'm smarter than you!" She told her smiling "For the first time in a very long time, someone find me smarter than you, for me, that an accomplishment"

"Dad, you should see, mom knew everything, much more than the guide tour guy!" Hope told him again about her mother and hers tour on the museum. "Your father is getting jealous!" She told him again "I bet she did, before your mother became a push paper, she was a doctor, a good one, she was the one that fix me" House told her, kissing her forehead "Mom fixed you?"

"Yap" He told her daughter. Cuddy returned to the living room in time to hear House told her about is leg, but before she could feel any guilt, he hugged her from behind and kiss her cheek affectionately "Yap, she is a really good doctor, I'm proud of her every day"

Hope return to the living room to sit and play with Rachel while her parents were about to clean the dishes and get Hope birthday cake ready "More than my leg, you fix my soul and heart" He told her "And for that, since the day I lay my eyes on you, I've love you and I always will!"

She tries to hold her tears, unsuccessfully. He took her in his arms as she leaned her head against his chest, crying.

"Thank you," he said quietly, "Thank you for Hope, for Rachel, for build a home for us."

"Thank you" She repeated "For them, for us, and make my dream come true"

(…)

As she was blowing out her nine candles, her parents told her to make a wish, the little nine-year-old girl smiled. There was nothing else in the world she wanted, so she, in silence, to herself, wished _Let our family be happy, forever._


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 10

Later at dinner…

"Do you enjoy your day monkey?" House asked Hope that she still eating her soup "So much dad! It was the best day ever!" She said smiling, "Mom is so smart! When I grow up I want to be as smart as she!"

"I know that look Cuddy! It's called self-conceit!" He told her mocking her. "It's not my fault if she thinks I'm smarter than you!" She told her smiling "For the first time in a very long time, someone find me smarter than you, for me, that an accomplishment"

"Dad, you should see, mom knew everything, much more than the guide tour guy!" Hope told him again about her mother and hers tour on the museum. "Your father is getting jealous!" She told him again "I bet she did, before your mother became a push paper, she was a doctor, a good one, she was the one that fix me" House told her, kissing her forehead "Mom fixed you?"

"Yap" He told her daughter. Cuddy returned to the living room in time to hear House told her about is leg, but before she could feel any guilt, he hugged her from behind and kiss her cheek affectionately "Yap, she is a really good doctor, I'm proud of her every day"

Hope return to the living room to sit and play with Rachel while her parents were about to clean the dishes and get Hope birthday cake ready "More than my leg, you fix my soul and heart" He told her "And for that, since the day I lay my eyes on you, I've love you and I always will!"

She tries to hold her tears, unsuccessfully. He took her in his arms as she leaned her head against his chest, crying.

"Thank you," he said quietly, "Thank you for Hope, for Rachel, for build a home for us."

"Thank you" She repeated "For them, for us, and make my dream come true"

(…)

As she was blowing out her nine candles, her parents told her to make a wish, the little nine-year-old girl smiled. There was nothing else in the world she wanted, so she, in silence, to herself, wished _Let our family be happy, forever._

Chapter 11 "the dinner"

(I'm making up for the short chapter 10, this is a long-waited chapter, hope you all enjoy it)

They still had an hour before dinner, but Cuddy was pacing back and forth between getting ready, trying to get Rachel ready, but most difficult task was for him to get ready.

"House, you're not five, get yourself ready! It's not the end of the world, it's just a dinner, two hours maxim, so do what I tell you, put on a shirt, ironed, and then go to our daughter and make sure she does not smear her dress. And let me, please, get ready!"

"Yes, mistress." He said and did exactly what she'd told him, dressed in the blue shirt he knew she loves, and went to see how Rachel was. Dressed in a dark blue winter dress and a white shirt, Rachel was, indeed, adorable. "Daddy, the shirt is itching!" She said trying to appeal to her father's heart so she could change into another outfit. "I'm sorry baby, but you really need to wear that, today, as soon as we get home, I will change you into your unicorn's pajama, ok?"

" 'K daddy" She told him sadly "Come here, it's a secret, you cannot tell mommy, ever, ok!?"

"Okay daddy!" And with that he unbuttoned the first button from the top of her shirt, making her more comfortable. "Better?"

"Yes, thank you daddy" She kissed his cheek, and even without knowing it, gave him the strength he needs it to face that dinner. "Where's Hope?"

"Getting ready" She told him and returned to pay attention to her game.

A few moments later, Hope reached the room. Like her sister, she wore a winter dress, but in red, with a white shirt, and again was lovely. "Mom brought this dress, I like it" She told him smiling. "You look lovely sweetie" He kissed her forehead "Is mom ready?"

Cuddy was wearing a medium black dress, formal but stunning all at the same time, and he though to himself, what a luck guy I'm, indeed, he was, and he could help but smile!

(…)

"You look stunning" He told her smiling while he parks the car "You look good too" She told him smiling "I love you, we can do this!"

"Daddy" Rachel told him whinny for attention "Sweetie if any of us hold you, you'll get your dress all wrinkle"

"Forget about the dress Cuddy, she's four, I will hold her before she threw a tantrum" He took her in his arms and she smiled tenderly "I promise to wrinkle her dress".

They arrived four minutes before time, thanks to Cuddy, and this was immediately noticed by John House, who already expected them sitting at one of the tables with Blythe House at his side. "Hope, there" The mother told him indicating where the grandparents were sitting.

Hope had inherited her mother's eyes, evidently. But it had been just that, in everything else, the little girl of nine years was a perfect reflection of her grandmother, the same blond hair, the same delicate features, in short, she is the perfect mirror image of Blythe House when she was nine years old herself.

"Mom" House reach her mother smiling while balancing Rachel in his arms "Dad" He try to sound normal but Cuddy could tell how awkward that sound. "Good evening".

"Hello Greg" His mother was smiling and happy, hugging him. A firm handshake from his father, distant again. "Hello Dr. Cuddy" His mother told her smiling.

"Please call me Lisa" She told them smiling.

"What an adorable baby" Blythe told his son "Hi sweetie" Embarrassed, as was usual with Rachel, the girl looked at her father uncertainly, but he smiled and she, softly said "Hi" to her.

"This is Rachel" He informed his parents "And she is Hope" He looked to his eldest daughter, that was still by her mother "Hi honey" Blythe told her and she smiled back "We should sit, perhaps" His father state and look at House "Don't you…"

"I'm better, no need for a cane anymore" He told him "Some nerves regenerate and I'm as good as new" He seat next to his father while helping Rachel to sit on a high chair. "Greg darling, how did your leg go all better? Don't get me wrong, I'm so delight that you are so good, but I can help but wonder how you gotten better… it has been such a long time and last time we spoke, well…"

"Frankly, by it own, for the past year, it was painful, the most of time it was unbearable, but for the last two month it got better all suddenly, slow but it was getting better, and one day I woke up, and there's were no pain. I could stand, walk, run, and no pain. I did all the test and exams that were required but it seems like the nerves that were cut of regenerate themselves."

"So, you will be fine for the rest of your life?"

"Yes mother" He finishes the explanation "As good as new!"

"That is some good news" His father told him "How are the girls doing?"

"They are both fine" House told him while handle Rachel his Gameboy, so she could stay entertained while they talk. "So, how's Lexington?"

they kept talking about trivial things, occasionally about Hope or Rachel, and throughout dinner House tried to pay the utmost attention to Rachel, who exemplarily was eating her dinner as well as Hope. "So…" Colonel state "I know it's not our business but… what happen to Hope? I mean…"

"Long story" House start but before his father could asks anything else, he told them "Hope was born too early, and sick… and… we still don't know how it happen, but my mother fake Hope's dead and placed her in foster caring, all of this is being held our attorneys."

"And how is she handle everything?"

"You can ask her" House told him "Hope, can you tell… hum… huu…"

"I like it very much" Hope spoke for the first time smiling at her grandfather "Mom and Dad have been helping me a lot, and I love them and Rachel very much" She told them smiling.

"How is school?" His grandfather asked her "Good, I enjoy school…"

"Hope is a very bright girl" Cuddy told them proudly "She is excellent in everything she does, she is taking this after Greg"

"It's very important to be good in school" Her grandfather told her and simply smile back, calm and happily "Do you do any hobbies?"

"I like reading and dad is teaching me how to play the piano" She explained to them "I also do gymnastics"

House could see something on his father that never seen before "It a good sport"

"Is Rachel trying something too?" His father asked him "She tried gymnastic and figure skating but didn't like it, she is also learning how to play piano, but we want her to do some sport too, she likes lacrosse, we will see…"

The dinner went as smooth as possible, better than House anticipate, and seems that even his father was interested in meeting his two granddaughters. After all, Rachel's charm was impossible to resist.

"We decide to delay our leaving for a few days" Blythe told them. "Maybe we could have dinner or lunch before we leave?"

"Of course, it will be wonderful" Cuddy told them "Maybe we could have dinner Sunday at our place?"

"Wonderful Lisa, right John?"

"Yes, dear. Wonderful" He smile back and all suddenly when they were about to say goodbye to their son, they notice, Rachel, totally asleep in his arms.

 _He got this_ Colonel though _I'm proud Greg!_


	12. Chapter 12

To make up for my absence, but college is driving me nuts!

Chapter 12

Hope wore a soft pink leotard and had her hair pulled into a delicate ponytail fastened with two ribbons of the same color as the leotard.

She looked focused. It was the first meeting of the season, and she was only practicing gymnastics about a month ago, four weeks, but the coach had assured her that she was ready and that she could really win it. Hope was in the first group, with another girl wearing the same leotard as she, and a few girls, at most ten. "She will compete for the all-around" House explained to her "Those ten girls are the best regional, only six of them are moving to the next competition, later in spring, only two from this state can go to a major competition…"

She was the last to vaulting, she was going to perform a round-off, flic-flac on – stretched salto backward with 1/1 turn off, she got the high score from difficult, a 4,6.

And then, flag on, and the only thing Cuddy could think off, was how dangerous that was and how brilliant Hope was. And a sound of release left Cuddy when Hope, landed, on both feet on the mattress.

A high-five from the couch and they were waiting for her score… 14.033, the second highest.

The uneven-bars went good as the vault, 14.130 and the floor with 14.000, she was in second in the all-around, but her best event was beam, she was the last to go, she need a 14.3 to get the lead… Flag on, and she jumped almost immediately to the beam. Took a deep breath and did her first move, the most difficult, not many elite gymnastics could do it even of senior level. A tucked arabian connected to a backhandspring. First thing done, next she did a Honodi follow by a double backhandspring ending with a layout full. Next move, a tricky one, switch ring, layout step-out, tucked full, back tuck and sheep jump into a sissone. The dismount, she took a deep breath, double backhandspring ending on a double tuck. A stuck, perfect landing! She finally smiled up and finished the routine. Most people could not believe it, that nine-year-old girl had made the routine more difficult, it was so perfect and so incredibly difficult, that she was worthy to medal at the Olympics and she was only nine years old!

And with a difficulty of 6.0, she could only get the most score from the competition! E 15,100 with an execution of 9,100.

Hope got the gold for the all-around, as well as UB, Floor and Beam. Getting a silver for vaulting.

"My champ!" His father hugged her smiling all proud "We're so proud baby, you've done so well!" Her mother was clearly happy for her "Thanks mom, dad!"

"How did Hope go sweetie?" Her mother asked Rachel "So goooood"

"Thank you Rachel" She kissed her forehead "Can we go now mommy?"

"Don't you want to stay a little longer, with your friends?" Her mother asked them before be interrupted by a journalist "Can we have a picture please, with the champ, please?"

"Do you want to take a picture honey?" Cuddy asked her "I guess it's ok"

"Can you please you all-around gold please?" The journalist told her, and she nodded "All done, great job on the beam, you have an amazing girl there" She told her parents.

"Hope, come let take a group photo" Her coach told her "You can go home after, come'on" He had a typical Russian accent behind the English.

Some photos late and she was leaving the gym with her parents, finally going home "Can I see it, can I see it?!" An over-excited Rachel said to the older sister, pointed at the medals. "Sure Rachel" Her sister answered her, but the mother warned them "At home, Rachel!" She said smiling "Today the grandparents go there for dinner and I want everything tidy" She explained "And we can show the grandparents the medals, combined?"

"Yes mom," Hope said as she got into the car. "How about McDonalds? Hope is a champion and we all deserve to eat…"

"Only this time…" Cuddy give in, after all her daughter could use a cheat meal and she too, for a couple of days all she wants to eat was crappy food, probably that time of the month.

(…)

"Good evening Lisa" Blythe House "Good evening, come in, please," she said, opening the door for her mother-in-law and father-in-law. "Greg's in the kitchen, he was the one who made the dinner," she told them.

"Before I go in, Lisa," Blythe told him, "How did he react to all of this? All these changes? I know, I know you're both adults, but a mother does not stop worrying ..."

"He's been wonderful, "so much calmer than me, there's nothing to worry about, Blythe, he's got everything under control." She smiled at the laughter in the kitchen. "He's a wonderful father, Hope and Rachel love him very much."

"And how is Hope doing?" John asked her "Much better, she is a very sweet child, but she had a ruff start, she was living in an orphanage and she was happy there, they took good care of her, but for about six month she lived with a terrible family, she was mistreated, hungry, cold and neglected. But since she came home, she's improved a lot, she's been spending more time with us, she's been talking and playing more, Greg has been vital in her recovery, and I think we're on the right track "

"She's so quiet, and polite," Jon commented. "She is, everyone loves her, she already has friends at school and she's setting up very well"

"Mom, dad say that dinner is ready" Hope told her "Good evening" She told her grandparents smiling "Hi honey" Her grandmother hugged her sweetly. Maybe, Hope and Rachel could really have a normal family, at least with House's parents…

…

"So, I've heard you did great today" Her grandfather asked her "Regional champion" She handle her the local newspapers where she read "nine-year-old girl from Princeton takes home the all-around medal with an impressive 15,100 on beam"

She smiled, clearly embarrassed by the article about her with the picture from the previous day where she smiled with a gold medal next to her parents. "I guess you move to next level"

"I'm on level 10 still, but my beam routine is an elite level one" she clarified "I guess so, the next competition is in April, so I have a lot of time to improve the others apparatus".

"DADDY! DADDY!" Rachel shout from her high pointing outside "Daddy, there!"

"Sweetie, there's nothing there" House told her again "No! no! there!"

And for the first time, House's quick reflexes actually saw something moving between the shrubs outside.

"It should not be anything, Greg, honey." The mother started, but the worry was on his face. "Come on, I'll help you have a look out there." The father told him and he nodded. "It should not be anything, but it's hard to see"

The two of them left Cuddy's worried gaze. "Lock the window until we get back, yeah," House told him before leaving the garage. "I'm serious, Cuddy, lock it up"

"I will not let you out," she answered seriously. "I'm here, go there"

"Greg, do not you have anything to take with us?"

"Like a gun?" He said rhetorically, "No, there's a baseball bat there, that's all we have, this is a quiet neighborhood , we didn't think that we were going to need something," he explained as his father reached for the bat. "You will not need it," House said, looking straight ahead.

It was a tiny ball of black fur and green eyes, it couldn't be more than two weeks old, it was cramped with cold and hunger, probably. It was a small cat.

"It's a cat." His father remarked on the obvious, and House bit her tongue so as not to comment on her father's obviousness. "It's hungry" He state "Can you please call Cuddy? Just to tell the girls there a cat here, ok"

"Yes son".

As House approached the cat, he cringed in a corner, trying to look around for a escape. "I'm not going to hurt you, come here ..."

And slowly, House approached, picked up an old cloth that was at the garage and touched the cat, taking it in his lap. Immediately, and realizing that House was not going to harm him, the kitten stopped wriggling and I mew, probably starving.

"House what is ..."

"It's a cat," he said, and Cuddy came closer to see it "It still a baby, poor thing, was it alone?"

"I don't see any others, it must been lost for a while ..." She said looking at the little this "He needs to go to a vet" Cuddy said and he agreed "We can not leave it near them before we know if it's safe!"

"Is he going home? Into our house?" House asked surprised "Of course! I think it's good for Hope and Rachel to grow up with a animal, and what are we going to do, send him to the kennel? He'll be ours," Cuddy said with a smile.

"Hum Cuddy," House said laughing. "It's a she."

(…)

"The girls are asleep?" Cuddy asked him when he returned to the living room. "They fell asleep like a lightning bolt"

"Good" She said relaxing again on the couch "I'm exhausted"

"So am I" He said, and suddenly she laughed "We've been sleeping five ... six hours a night, there ..."

"Almost three months!" He laughed "But we still have sex every day"

"It's like dating a teenager with hormones in effusion." She laughed "I'm not complaining"

"You deserve a positive reinforcement, you behave so well during dinner" She said laughing "Let's go?" She kissed him once more, as they rose from the couch and went into their bedroom, the night promised to be another one in which he made her yell his name.


	13. Chapter 13

FIRST, I'm sorry for the delay, college is, again, driving me crazy, I've just start my master degree this every and I got so many thing to do, it's just insane. But it is here 3 Enjoy it!

That case had kept him in the hospital for the last three days. Three days fill with lack of sleep, tiredness and a frustration.

Three days in which he had bathed in the hospital and changed once, thanks to Cuddy. Worst than all of this, he had not seen his daughters for three days or slept beside Cuddy. Thankfully, the diagnosis was done, and it was eleven am, so he could go home, shower and sleep for a couple of hours before his daughters come home, after school in the afternoon, and probably they could spend, the four of them, the Friday evening watching a movie or just enjoy spending some quality time with them.

Mrs. Snuggles, as Rachel had named her, was sleeping in the couch, right in front of the fireplace, the fall was, slowly, giving place to winter, and the first snow fall of the year is scheduled for Saturday, so maybe, tomorrow they could play outside, but for now, House want to get into bed, sleep for five hours, and that was exactly what he did, gladly.

(…)

"Daddy !" Rachel said, excitedly to finally see her dad home after three days. For a four-year-old, three days felt like they eternity.

"I've missed you so much," she said, smiling as she laid her head on the curve of his neck. "I missed you too, Rachel." kissing her forehead.

"Hope?" He asked Cuddy to take it and pick it up in Rachel's backpack. "Training" she explained, kissing him lightly on the lips. "Congratulations on the diagnosis, no one else would remember that he could have Addison's disease"

"I know, I know, I'm brilliant" He said faking a certain arrogance that made her laugh. "Did the ducklings talk to you?"

"No ..." she said as she walked into the room "Why?"

"Mr. Wallen was so grateful, but so grateful for my intelligence and for my brilliance that saved his life!" He started by following her into their bedroom "That decided ... how do you say it ... ah yeah, make a donation"

He handed her the check. "I think now we're even, by Voldemort ... ups, Vogler" He said, and she looked at the check "And without them wanting to turn the hospital into an Edward Vloger business".

"House, this is… you sure this is… Oh my god…"

"You could say Oh my House, but I also consider myself a god, so please, continue"

"This is huge!"

"Yap, a check, free of charge and conditions of ..."

"A million dollars, Mr. Wellen donated a million dollars, free of conditions?!"

"Yap, he did not even ask for a thank-you dinner, he said ... and I'm going to quote him… _This is my way to say thank you, and good job"_.

"It's my time to say now" She hugged him, standing on tiptoe, kissing him intensely. "I know some much more ... interesting ways for you to thank me!"

"I always liked the way you think, after all ..." She said smiling and kissing him again "Can´t contradict a genie."

They both smiled, the celebrations (for the night) were still at the begging.

(Two month later)

Winter has settled down at Princeton, snow fell almost every night, forcing several roadblocks and many days of closed schools, and that Monday was no exception. Hope and Rachel didn't have school that morning, which meant another day spent in the hospital for the two girls. "Explain me there again, how do we get to pay that ridicules amount of money for a private school, so they don't get to have classes twice a week, every week !?"

She knew he was right, their tuition was expensive, much more than certain college tuition, and yet most days they did not even have lessons because of the weather. "I know, but there's nothing I can do House" She returned the ironic tone. "Rachel can stay in the hospital daycare ... and Hope ..."

"I can stay home! I even need to study mom for my math test"

"You do not stay here alone, you come with us and you stay in my office tomorrow" She immediately said, "I know it's not the best solution, but it's what we have, Marina is sick, so it really has to be like this" She said to her older daughter. "I promise, I'll take you to the gym on time, but now you're going to have to go with us, so go change into your pijama" she said, referring to the fact that Hope was in her pajamas. "We will say goodnight in a minute ok sweetie?"

"Okay mom" She told her. "We really need to do something with them, the hospital is not a good place for they spend their days."

"We can do something this weekend, maybe take them to the ice ring downtown?" House told her "Yeah… I think it's a good ideia."

"Cuddy" He start still afraid how to approach this subject with her "It's almost time for yours hanukkah and I haven't seen you prepare anything…"

"I'm not celebrating hanukkah this year" She told him "This year ... I do not want to celebrate ... My mother taught me everything I know about my spirituality, my religion, about what is right and wrong, and based on that she took away for me my daughter, put her in foster care ... and did all because, and according to her, my daughter was not a pure soul?! No, I cannot believe in anything spiritual that takes a baby from a mother's arms and does not consider her just an innocent being so no, I do not want to celebrate hanukkah this year, but we can give in to the materialist spirit of Christmas, and buy a Christmas tree, decorations and everything else. We may not celebrate Hanukkah, but you always celebrated Christmas, and I want them to have that too, and we can see that Hope loves Christmas, and Rachel is four, she loves Christmas and presents."

He welcomed her into his arms. "I think they should know their heritage, and in all religions there are cynical people, that does not mean we should stop celebrating Christmas/Hannukkah ..." He tried to argue "Maybe next year, House. This year we will only do Christmas ... "

"So, let's have a Christmas tree?" He asked her and she smiled in response "But we have to buy everything." "I've always wanted one! I think now that Rachel is a little bit more grown up and with Hope here, it's going to be a great holiday," she explained. "I've never have a Christmas tree at home before" she confessed, smiling.

"Tomorrow we can go to Wallmark and buy the whole thing!" He smiled at her tenderly and they both exchanged a kiss "Great, because I've been seeing some tree-decorating ideas, and I want one to buy everything in red and gold, they look so cute together!"

He could not help himself and started to laugh, thinking, Woman.

(…)

"So we need to go buy the Christmas decoration? Together? Can just you go with Hope? I can stay with Rachel!"

"No way" Cuddy told him "We are going to Target to buy the Christmas tree as a family" She said with a smile.

House resigned, he hated shopping, especially when shopping at festive times like Christmas, but if she wanted, he does what she wants, to keeps her happy.

"Let's go then, the sooner we get it done, the soon we can go back home, is Rachel ready?"

She smiled at him, confirming.

"Marina already has her ready, and on the way to here then we pick up Hope at the who also already took as change of clothes to go with us" She said explaining all her plans. "It looks like you already had everything planned" He told her.

"Of course" she said smiling "I knew you would not disappoint me" And kissed him smiling, truly happy. And he, felt a pride that was not excepting, he made her happy. He was the guy who made her happy. He was her guy. The guy she deserved.

"Let's go buying all that Christmas decoration, but I warn you, I want pizza for dinner, after all, if we are going to the mall, I deserve pizza"

"I think that can be arranged".

(…)

"So, first we need to pick up Hope clothes from Adidas, since we're here." She smiled at her oldest daughter "So, while you to go buy that, can we go eating something?" He told her and Rachel wave happily.

"I think it's a good idea" She smiled. They part their ways.

"Now, we can go" She smiled at her oldest daughter.

Cuddy had ordered some leotards online, but the truth was that Hope needed more clothes, and since it was still early and they had all afternoon, she could enjoy and buy some more clothes for her daughter.

"Hope sweet, let's go for a walk around the store, you know? Your clothes are getting small for you, and frankly, you don't have enough clothes either."

Cuddy was kind enough to send a message to House to go with Rachel to the playground outside, as an excuse that it would take her about an hour, because she wanted to get some more clothes from Hope and Rachel.

"You need sneakers, I'm sick of seeing you just wearing the white all-stars all the time." She said smiling "Sorry mom"

"No sweety, it's my fault, I should have taken your shopping before." She smiled at him.

Hope eventually bought several sneakers and Cuddy took advantage and bought two pairs for Rachel since hers would eventually get too small for her. Hope also brought a few pair of legging, woodies and tops.

"We still have forty minutes, we'll get you some more clothes," she said, smiling at her daughter. "Come on?"

"Yap," Hope said, smiling. Clearly, her daughter was getting happier and happier by the day.

(…)

"An hour and a half to go pick up an order, I bet it was a hell of an order!" House complained when they picked up the shopping cart to go buy the Christmas tree. "Hope needed new clothes because hers wouldn't even fill half of her closet and worse than that half of it don't fit her anymore." She said with a smile. "Now let's go and buy our Christmas tree"

As he was expected, Target was full of people doing Christmas shopping.

"And which tree do you want?" House asked her "That one," she said, pointing to a tree at least six fts high and very, very wide. "It's That House"

"It's too large, we know that?"," he said. "But if you want who am I," he said, seeing the reference and taking out one of the boxes that contained the synthetic tree.

"Mom, why are we buying a synthetic tree?"

"Because we cannot destroy a real tree to have at Christmas, we must protect nature, and these trees are made from recycled and sustainable material, just like all the Christmas effects we buy are sustainable and nature friendly. " She explains to Hope. "Your majesty, the tree is ready!" House told her, it was far to big to fit.

(…)

Cuddy stared in wonder at the scene in front of her, House had already set up the tree structure that was now decorated by the four of them. It was the first time she had set up a Christmas tree at home, in the hospital, at school, at college, she had already helped so many trees, but that tree was THEIR Christmas's tree.

Six months ago she had discovered the truth about Hope, she had started a relationship with House, and everything was a mess.

Six months later, Hope was finally a happy sweet nine years old girl, Rachel was growing up so fast, and House ... House was her dream, the dream he had come true, she was the love of her life, a devoted father, everything she could ask for.

She smiled when she heard her eldest daughter calling her. "Smile Hope" She heard House say and heard the camera shoot.

She finally had a happy Christmas with her family.


End file.
